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Danielle Wales is known as one half of “Power Couple” Dan and Dani from Channel 9’s hit home renovation show The Block, and is set to hit our screens again as the host of Network Ten’s new show Healthy Homes (Dec).

Usually, having a sore throat is nothing to worry about - most are caused by cold or flu germs (viruses). In rare cases, however, it can signal something more serious… not to be alarming but one of the first symptoms of ebola virus is a sore throat!

Closer to everyday reality, strep bacteria, a common cause of sore throat (especially in children) can spread like wildfire through schools and daycare and if it gets into the bloodstream is pretty nasty indeed. Many other infections can also be preceded by a sore throat, so it’s never something to automatically take lightly.

So, how do you know the difference between a scratchy throat that will disappear on its own, and the start of a potentially serious infection?

1. Warm your nose
Professor Rob Eccles from the Common Cold Research Centre at Cardiff University explains: “One theory why we catch colds and flu more in winter is that our nose is colder which lowers its resistance to infection.”

In case you were wondering, YES this is an actual nose-warmer; scarily enough they are a “thing” (look on etsy for proof). But in the (pretty likely) case that you’d prefer not to caught dead in one, try the more conservative route of wrapping a scarf around your lower face and nose when in the chilled air.

Should you phone in sick to work or soldier on? Ask yourself these 5 questions...

Heard of “presenteeism”? If you’ve ever gone to work coughing and spluttering, you’ve probably contributed to it. The opposite of absenteeism, it’s a phenomenon where people keep coming to work, despite feeling lousy – and it’s on the rise. Surveys say up to 80% of us still report in for duty when ill, due to fear of missing something important or feeling guilty about leaving others to pick up the slack.

But presenteeism can hurt a company and other employees more than it can help. So how do you know when you really should “phone it in” or not?

“Clutter” tends to feel like it’s a million things at once, but actually there are a few main culprits. These are things which don’t tend to have allocated spots. Guess what? That’s easily fixed with these clever storage and organisation solutions.

1. Car keys

Swimming around somewhere in your handbag, grabbed off benchtops by toddlers or just lost in the general kitchen clutter, keys are never there when you need them.

Before that doorbell rings this summer take a quick look outside. We tend to forget that things out there can get pretty grubby, and if you’re entertaining guests it could be time to give these a bit of spit n’ polish.

1. Outdoor door mats
It’s one of the first things people see before they enter your house, but how often do you clean your door mats? You’d be surprised the difference a clean, non-grungy (and freshly scented) doormat can make to your home’s first impression.

Last week we introduced you to Cathy Armstrong, who told us how her online budgeting website and tips newsletter, The Cheapskates Club, began and shared some great ideas for DIY cleaning products that won’t break the bank. If you missed it, the first blog post is here.

This week we’re bringing you “part 2” in our Cheapskate series where Cathy shares even more great budgeting ideas – helping you to save money while not missing out on the lifestyle and little luxuries your family enjoys.

Q. So Cathy, what are some of your most popular money-saving tips for around the home?Cathy:

We all love our furry friends, and they’re even nicer to snuggle up with when they have soft, clean, shiny fur. Most dogs should be bathed around once a month – more frequently if you have a long-haired breed or your four-legged buddy likes getting dirty. However commercial pet shampoos – especially “natural” brands - can be very expensive.

Making your own dog shampoo is simple and can really help your budget.